Witnesses claimed hile members of the group were posing next to the huge mammal’s three-foot-long tusks, someone yanked on his tail.

–

CHON BURI – A tour guide has been trampled to death by an enraged elephant after a group of Chinese tourists surrounded the male bull elephant and one of them pulled its tail.

Chinese group leader Yongjie He, 35, had taken about 30 Chinese holidaymakers to the Golden Triangle elephant park in Chonburi, Thailand, yesterday afternoon.

As they arrived, two other women were just returning from an elephant ride and were still on top of the Elephant.

Witnesses said that ten of the excited Chinese tourists then surged forward, surrounding 17-year-old male elephant Pai Utain in a bid to take pictures with him while the women sat on top.

The scene of destruction after the bull elephant went on a rampage.

–

While members of the group were posing next to the huge mammal’s three-foot-long tusks, one of the tourists yanked on his tail, spooking the Giant bull, witnesses claimed.

The Chinese tour guide Yongjie scrambled to protect the group and was caught in the path of the spooked beast – which ultimately knocked him to the ground and trampled him to death.

Several mahouts ran over to get Pai under control and the other woman down that was still sitting on top of the bull elephant.

Officers were notified of two injured tourists and one who was dead due to being crushed by an elephant.

–

Lieutenant Colonel Anan Lahuong, head of Huay Yai Police Station, Banglamung, Chonburi, said police were notified of two injured tourists and one who was dead due to being crushed by an elephant.

Officers are now investigating the accident at the park, which is used by hundreds of tourists a day as they take part in one of the most popular – and most controversial – activities in Thailand.

Mahout Au Yungung, 37, said the elephant was eventually brought under control and tethered to a tree but was ‘still shaking with fright’.

He said ‘The elephant was taking tourists back to the main area. Suddenly the tourists gathered round the elephant.

‘One of them pulled the tail and the elephant began attacking people. I tried to control the elephant but could not save the leader of the group.

‘The cause is that the elephants are likely to have been irritated by having the tail pulled. It did not have a seizure. I’ve known this elephant since he was small and he has never hurt anyone, he has always had good habits.’

Lieutenant Colonel Anan Lahuong, said they were investigating the whole event and that the dead tour guide would also been sent for a forensic examination and the relatives have been informed.